Vulcan, Inc. today announced that it has pre-leased its Arbor Blocks project to Facebook. The project will consist of two 6-story midrise office buildings with 384,000 square feet of office space and 4,100 square feet of street-level retail along 8th Avenue North, between Thomas and Harrison Streets.

“We’re excited to work with Facebook to help them expand their footprint in South Lake Union,” said Ada M. Healey, vice president of Real Estate at Vulcan, Inc., “We designed the Arbor Blocks with technology tenants in mind and Facebook is an ideal tenant to kick-off the project.”

The buildings, designed by Graphite Design Group, feature increased setbacks to preserve light and air for the existing sweet gum tree canopy along 8th avenue North. The street will be converted into a pedestrian-friendly woonerf with a specialty paving pattern and widened sidewalks. Plantings, seating and artwork will be added to enhance the street-level experience.

As part of Vulcan’s commitment to sustainable development practices that promote the social and economic health of the greater community, the new buildings will be targeting LEED Gold and Salmon-Safe certification.

Construction on the new buildings will begin by year-end 2016.Hewitt is the landscape architect and Lease Crutcher Lewis is the general contractor.